The leopard, also called the
pard and panther, is the largest spotted
cat of the old world, and is exceeded in
strength and ferocity only by the lion
and tiger of the old world, and the
jaguar and cougar of the new. It is one
of the most graceful and beautiful beasts
in existence, The average full-grown
leopard is about four feet long, tail
three feet long. Its skull measures nine
inches long by five and a half inches in
breadth. It is smooth-haired, without
mane or beard. It inhabits the wooded
country throughout Africa and across Asia
to Japan, Java, and some other islands,
It is very agile as well as sturdy, and
climbs trees as easily and almost as
quickly as a common cat. It does not like
the water, and always avoids it, except
when driven to it by pursuers, but when
once in, is a thoroughly good swimmer.
The leopard and panther are now
acknowledged to be but slight varieties
of the same species. They are easily
startled, and if frightened, will, in
most cases, make off with all the speed
at their command, which is enormous.
Nevertheless, they are a very dangerous
beast to meet in their native woods, and
in a menagerie, like all members of the
cat tribe, are treacherous, and never to
be trusted. Their teeth, claws and tails
are used extensively by the Kaffirs for
ornaments.

The name of this animal means a
river-horse; it is also called Vennu.
Strange to say, it never swims, but walks
on the bed of streams, and while it
somewhat resembles swine, is more nearly
allied to the rhinoceros. It is of an
exceedingly retiring disposition, and
concealing itself in the thickest
underwood of Malacca and Sumatra, of
which countries it is a native, is seldom
even seen by the most diligent hunters.
Its body is stout and clumsy, thick legs
ending in four small hoofs on the fore
feet, and three on the hind feet. Its
head is of a peculiar shape, with a long
and very flexible snout, or short
proboscis, and a high crest or poll. The
body is nearly naked; parts of it are
sooty black but the back and flanks are a
greyish white. The young are beautifully
variegated, striped and spotted with
yellow fawn color on the upper part of
the body, and white below. The hide is
used to some extent for leather, and the
flesh for food, although the latter is
dry and tasteless.

This is the general native name
of the smaller kangaroos of Australia,
animals celebrated the world over for the
disproportionate length and strength of
the hinder parts, their enormous leaping
propensities and their capacity for
carrying their young in pouches. They are
peculiar to Australia, and are now much
hunted for their hides, which make
excellent leather for shoes. The one
represented is not as large as the
common, or woolly kangaroo, being only
four feet six inches in total length, of
which two feet is tail. The fur is long
and coarse in texture, and decidedly
harsh to the touch. It is an inhabitant
of New South Wales, and is of frequent
occurrence in the neighborhood of Port
Jackson. It is sometimes known as the
Aroe kangaroo, and is regarded as very
valuable for game, as is the Pademelon
whallabee of the same country, and which
also lives in herds of hundreds in the
scrubs of the interior of Tasmania.

The llama is sometimes called
the American camel, and is closely
related to the camel of the old world,
although it is smaller, has no hump, and
is not woolly-haired. It is known only in
a state of domestication, and was the
only beast of burden in America before
the arrival of the Spaniards. It is still
used as such in the Andes of South
America, the formation of its feet
enabling it to walk on slopes too rough,
or too steep, for any other animal. Its
toes are completely divided, with a rough
cushion beneath, and strong, claw-like
hoofs above. It is about three feet high
at the shoulder, is able to carry a
weight of one hundred pounds, and to
travel fourteen or fifteen miles per day.
Its flesh is coarse and dark. The llama
is closely allied to the alpaca. One of
its chief merits is that it costs very
little to keep, as it is usually depended
upon to find its own food after traveling
all day. It has an obstinate disposition,
and in many cases lies down, and refuses
to move. Not being of very great value,
it is frequently killed on the spot, and
its place supplied by another chosen from
a number which are taken along to be used
in such an emergency. Like the camel, the
llama requires very little water.